


Observant

by Jougetsu



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Faith of the Seven, Holidays, Knighthood, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 00:26:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14068902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jougetsu/pseuds/Jougetsu
Summary: Davos learns there are a few more formalities to being a knight than he expected.





	Observant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Plaid_Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/gifts).



> Set about a year after Robert has taken the throne

“Vigil?” Davos stared at Maester Cressen. Perhaps he had not heard correctly. “But that’s the eve of Warrior’s Day.” 

“Yes, just so,” said Maester Cressen smoothing his heavy robes. He did not come often to Davos’ rooms. More often than not they met in Stannis’ chambers or elsewhere in the keep, often with Renly in tow. “It will be expected of you, Ser Seaworth. I know that Stannis does not think much of the tradition, but customs must be followed more strictly here in King’s Landing than they were at Storm’s End.” 

“I still don’t understand what it is to do with me, Maester,” Davos frowned, slight and puzzled. “Seamen are sworn to the Smith. It is Smith’s Day that I pay my respects.” 

The maester nodded and eyes widened as he realized the source Davos’ confusion, “You are a knight now, Ser Seaworth. All knights of the realm must keep vigil with the Warrior on His day. Of course that does not preclude you from celebrating the Smith. Indeed, as the master of ships Stannis will be expected to partake in those rituals when the time comes. I know you will tutor him well.” 

Some small secret part of Davos was pleased that he could guide and teach his lord something. Stannis was a more than capable sailor and had the benefit of a nobleman’s education, Davos did not think he could offer his lordship more than occasional advice and a friendly ear. “But before then I must learn how not to disgrace Lord Baratheon on Warrior’s Day?”

“Stannis is never ashamed of you, Ser Seaworth,” Maester Cressen said with a certainty that reminded Davos that this was the man who’d raised the youngest Baratheons in their parents’ absence. “However, the court can be rather poisonous. Your unique circumstances and history with Stannis draws more scrutiny than other bannerman.” 

_Onion Knight._ Davos didn’t usually mind the moniker much. What he had earned that day made up for petty insults by courtiers. As Stannis had no taste for playing the games beloved of the Red Keep the two of them spent their time away from council meetings at the docks or in the training yards. But a grand feast day would require them to be surrounded by nobles, and far too many Lannisters. “Walk me through rituals, Maester. I’ll not give those snobs any fodder to gossip about Lord Baratheon’s backwards Onion Knight.”

Surprisingly it was Renly who made a better tutor. Maester Cressen had the tendency to be long-winded at times, especially when he felt what he was explaining was of paramount importance. Somehow the same information filtered through Renly was more memorable. 

“First you have to drink the special drink,” Renly recited to him every night until evening of the vigil. “Then the High Septon says ‘Who here will honor the Warrior this eve?’”

“And then I rise to my feet,” Davos continued waiting for the inevitable corection. 

“No, no!” Renly shook his head and Davos wondered if Stannis had been so vehement, so vocal as a young lad. “Then the king, Robert, says ‘We all honor the Warrior!’ and then all the knights stand up.” 

“Silly of me to forget,” said Davos. 

“Then you stand up and the priest will put the holy oil on your forehead and then you go into the royal sept and kneel,” Renly knelt dramatically, mimicking the swish of a cloak behind him. "And then you have to be quiet all night until the bells ring in the morning.” 

And then the knights were expected to participate in races, jousts, and other tourney games the next day as if they had not spent the night shivering on their knees. Little Renly being a child would be given a little cushion for his kneeling and only expected to last an hour before being gently guided away by a septon and sent to bed to dream of one day becoming a knight. 

“I think I’ve got it all now, thanks to your tutelage, Master Renly,” Davos told the youngest Baratheon. Renly beamed in response. 

“This is my first Warrior’s Day, too,” said Renly. He reached to hold Davos’ hand, the short fingered left one, and squeezed. “Well, not the real first first. But the first one I can remember. The last two were during the fighting and before that I was too little.” 

A fine tunic and breeches would not garner Davos any newfound respect, but it did ease his nerves slightly that he at least did not look too out of place amongst the crowd of assembled knights and lords in the Great Hall. The sacred wine was passed around and if some knights quaffed more than the expected share there were enough attendants to take care of matters. 

“Thank you, Ser Davos,” Stannis whispered to him while the King was relating a tale about a horse race in his adolescence. “I know the Warrior’s Vigil is uncomfortable and unnecessary. You are a good man to suffer through it without complaint.” 

“I reckon I missed the knight’s first vigil during the war so I’m already behind,” Davos said half-jokingly. Most of the those knighted at the height of the fighting had skipped the pomp and finer attendant duties that it usually demanded. “Besides I could hardly let you suffer without me, my lord.”

Stannis’ eyes warmed with pleasure though his lips did not form a smile that anyone else would recognize. “Ser Davos.” 

Nothing more could be said then, not with an audience surrounding them, but it still warmed Davos to his toes. Renly yawned between the two of them and Davos had a hunch the boy would probably fall asleep during his vigil. Davos’ eyes must have given that thought away as Stannis said quiet and low, “He wouldn’t be the first boy to do so. It is too much to expect of a child.”

“As long as no one falls over I’m sure the High Septon won’t mind too much,” said Davos. “Besides I’m not sure how many of the others will last. Not even sure I’ll make it myself.” 

“You do yourself a disservice,” Stannis leaned in to whisper once more directly into Davos’ ear. “You are a better and more stalwart man than any other here.” 

Which required a whispered reply, “Lord Baratheon if you keep speaking in that way my vigil thoughts will be full of Essene love gods and not the Warrior.” 

Lord Stannis did not blush prettily, but he blushed all the same and the sight was utterly entrancing in Davos’ eyes. “Then it is fortunate the High Septon cannot see what we are thinking.”

Davos counted himself lucky that they were called into the royal sept then or it would’ve been too tempting to show Stannis what some of those love gods advised. 

There would be time for that after the vigil.

**Author's Note:**

> * According to Martin only the king or a knight can confer knighthood, not lords who were never knighted so I'm assuming it's likely that Stannis was knighted at the onset of the war if he was the one to knight Davos himself
> 
> * Knighthood in Westeros is tied heavily to the Faith of Seven which resulted in a warrior class in the North that has few knights
> 
> * Stannis being the medieval atheist he is probably does not considered himself a 'true' knight as it comes bundled with a religion he no longer believes in hence why his knighthood would be ignored in the text


End file.
